Spirit stoves



Oct. ll, 1960 K. o. A. Bol.: Erm. 2,955,589

SPIRIT sTovEs Filed Feb. 1, 1957 Fig.1

INVENTORS KARL OSKAR ARNE BOIJ ond BERTIL KARL AXEL JOHANSSON ATTORNEYS Sta SPIRIT sTovEs Karl Oskar Arne Beij, Agatan 5, and Bertil Karl Axel Johansson, Agatan 26, both of Tranas, Sweden l The present invention 4relates to apparatus operating 'by `burning 'alcoholic spirits or similar kinds of liquid fuels-in the lfollowing description and appended claims 'termed spirit -stoves-and of the kind consisting of a -fuel container madeof metallic or any other .suitable `material and containing a filling .of a porous material .absorbing the fuel, and having a plurality of flame apertures, provided in circumferentially spaced relation A'in the upper ,portion of its side walls.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide lan improved spirit stove of the kind 4referred to which combines an rthe favorable Vproperties of being capable of convenient storage without `any danger of escape or leakage of the fuel contained inthe stove, further: of being ready for use lat any time, and of being adapted to be lit quickly without the necessity of being preheated.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a spirit stove of the kind referred to which is ydevoid @of any enclosed air spaces .in which explosive gas mixtures might form.

A Vspirit stove Vwhich `satisfies the requirements thus stated has been realized in accordance with this invention by causing the porous material to fill up completely the upperyportion, at least, of the fuel container, so that the same will reach-and bridge -theiiame apertures,

Patent extremely simple construction with and by dimensioning Ithese flame apertures suiiciently large 'to -enable the tory preheating.

The spirit stove according to' the invention in its simplest forme-consists of a tin-like, permanently closed stove to be `lit without any preparacontainer which -is filled with `aporouslmaterial .saturated with liquid fueland 4exposed near the upper end ofthe container through relatively large liame aperturesitormed y1n `the peripheralfwall'of the container inclose vproximity to theflat top surface 'of the same, on which top surface a-cookingevessel can 4be placed. In this embodiment 'of the invention ythe Vstove can `be produced at a 'cost sufiiciently low to justify its being discarded after its initial charge of fuel has been consumed. It is possible, however, if desired, to refill such a stove with a fresh charge of fuel through the flame apertures. In case the stove is to be refilled repeatedly the fuel container may, however, to advantage be provided with a removable bottom, so that refilling may be effected through the bottom yand after the fuel container has been turned upside down and its detachable bottom removed.

The llame apertures, which preferably are rectangular in shape and comparatively large, can be covered by a sheet of wire gauze which acts to prevent the porous filling from escaping through the flame apertures, as well as from getting forced inwards by external action in conjunction with the handling of the apparatus. However, if that portion, at least, of the porous filling which reaches onto the flamewapertures is formed by a permanently shaped body or `disc fitted into the container and consisting of felted mineral wool or the like, then 2 the. iiame apertures can be left completely open and unobstructed.

Further features and advantages ofthe invention will appear from the following detailed description of two embodiments thereof by way of example, reference being had .to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a spirit stove according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a tire quenching or .extinction hood belongingato the stove being, however,-omitted from 'the ligure;

Fig. f2 is a vertical section `through "the spirit stove illustrated in. Fig. 1 but with the extinction hood placed in position thereon, and v Fig. 3. is a :perspective view of asecond embodiment `of -the invention.

Referring iirst to Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawing, reference numeral 10 designates the metallic fuel .container which .is in the 'form of a cylindrical tin Vthe upper end of which is closed yby a at top-end wall while its bottom end is .left open. The fuel container 1li .is provided vin Vthe upper portion of its peripheralside wall with three comparatively large name-apertures 11 which Vare uniformly spaced circumferentially of the .peripheral wall. These apertures are covered by a `sheet of wiregauze 12 which is in the form of arperipherally closed ring disposed within the container andan closeV contact with the inner surface Yof its peripheral wall. Received yin the interior of thecontainer 10 is a .porous .filling .or matrix 13 Aconsisting of compacted :mineral wool, .for instance asbestoswool, whichy reaches and .bridges lthe flame apertures 11 but is ,prevented :by .wire gauze '12 from escaping through these apertures.V .Further below,

the porous filling is Aformed Vby -a ,porous and `permanently shaped disc 14 made lof .wood :iiber-..or..similar material vand retained within the container .by friction against its `peripheral wall so as Vto.prevent-the-ffilling 13 of asbestos wool from escaping through the .bottom end ofthe container. l

.The 'bottom end of the fuel containeril is closed .by a detachable `bottom .cover 15 ,-formed .with .a peripheral flange .l16`iitt'ing about the peripheral 'wall of the :container 10. The said `bottom cover y15 is retained .inplace byfour embossments .17 circumferentiallyspaced about saidwall and engaging said ,peripheralilange The .bottomdlange 16 is 'extendedas far upward .towards .the bottom edges of -the `flame aperturesl as to cause Vany gasified fuel escaping through the bottom .opening of the `container '19 -to be conducted into .closeproximityof the flames to be ignited by .the latter. .flt Ais .preferable to,`let` the bottom iiange -ltterrninate .short :of-for inflame apertures', in order thereby to reduce the heating of the bottom part of the apparatus. Inserted in the bottom cover 15 is a iilling consisting of a porous disc 18 of Wood liber or similar material which, when the bottom cover is fitted in place on the fuel container, projects into the interior of the container and engages the wood fiber disc 14 pressed into the cylindrical wall thereof so that-when the stove is ready for use--the container 10 is completely filled with porous material.

Refilling of the container 10 with liquid fuel is performed in the most simple Way byiirst turning the stove upside down, lthen removing its detachable bottom cover 15, 16, and finally pouring fuel -nto the cup defined by the Wood fiber disc 14 yand the portion of the cylindrical container wall projecting above this disc. In order to accelerate the fuel-absorption by the mineral wool matrix 13, the wood liber disc 14 may be provided with a plurality of openings 19 through which fuel is allowed to liow directly down to the mineral wool matrix.

The lighting of the spirit stove illustrated is performed by simply putting a burning match to each one of the llame apertures 11. The spirit stove can be extinguished by putting over the top portion of the fuel container a hood-like cover 20 the peripheral wall or flange of which telescopes within the ange 16 cf the detachable bottom cover, as is clearly seen from Fig. 2. For facilitating the handling of the hood 20 a handle 22 is pivotally connected thereto by a rivet 21. Any fuel condensing on the comparatively cool internal wall surfaces of the hood 20-particularly immediately following the extinction of the stovewill gravitate to the bottom of the apparatus where the same will be absorbed by the porous bottom disc 18 and will be returned gradually by capillary action to the porous lling or fuel matrix 14, 13 within the container 10. The free upper edge of the ange 16 of the detachable bottom cover may be flared outwardly in a funnel-like manner which will, on one hand, facilitate the action of pushing down the hood 20 within the bottom flange 16, and, on the other hand, make sure that condensed fuel shall not-even if the hood be incompletely applied-flow over the external wall surface of the bottom flange 16.

It is apparent that the hood 20 when applied in position within the bottom flange 16 forms with the bottom cover 15, 16 a sealed-off storage casing for the fuel container 10, whereby fuel contained in the latter is prevented from vaporizing when the spirit -stove is being stored.

The ame apertures 11in the embodiment illustrated-are disposed short of the at top of the fuel container enabling a cooking vessel to be placed directly on to the fuel container. To enable the cooking vessel to stand steadier, the fuel container may be formed with a pressed up or creased rim 23 along the corner between its cylindrical wall and its dat top wall.

For the safe handling of the apparatus by the hand serves a heat insulating ring 24 of rubber or similar macoholic spirits or similar liquid fuel and reaching and bridging two rectangular flame apertures 26 provided in the upper portion of the elongated side walls, respectively. When the stove is not in use, the ame apertures 26 can be closed and sealed olf by means of an endless strip of rubber or like material which may be forced on to the peripheral wall of the container 25. The spirit stove illustrated in Fig. 3 is primarily intended to be sold with its matrix saturated with liquid fuel and to be discarded as soon as the charge of fuel has been consumed. The porous filling or matrix, therefore, to advantage, may be formed throughout by compacted wood fibers or any suitable other non-refractory porous material. However, refilling of the apparatus with a charge of fresh fuel can be made through the flame apertures 26, if desired.

What we claim is:

A spirit stove comprising a container having side walls and a top wall and an open bottom, porous fuel absorbing material packed in said container and completely filling the upper portion thereof thereby to eliminate spaces in which explosive gas mixtures might accumulate, a cup-shaped cover detachably slidably fitted over the bottom of said container having its side walls extending about the side walls of said container in spaced relation thereto and terminating a substantial distance below the top of said container, said porous fuel `absorbing material being exposed through large openings in the side Walls of said container, said openings being immediately above the rim of said cup-shaped cover and being of a size to enable the stove to be lit without the necessity of being preheated, a cup-shaped cover fitted over the top of said container having its side walls detachably slidl ably fitted to the side walls of said bottom cover, and a terial which is forced on the ange of the bottom cover.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be modified in various respects. Thus the wire gauze 12 may be omitted if that portion, at least, of the porous filling which extends behind the ame apertures is made more or less permanent in shape, consisting, for example, of a disc punched out from a felted sheet of mineral wool so as to fit within the fuel container. Further, the porous disc 14 retaining the filling in position within the fuel container may be substituted by a perforate sheet-metal disc which is secured in position within the container by spot welding or in any suitable other manner.

Referring now to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing, the spirit stove according to the embodiment illustrated therein is simply made in the form of a permanently closed parallelepipedic fuel container 25 which contains a porous filling or matrix saturated with alporous member afxed to the bottom cover of the container positioned to extend into said container when the bottom cover is in position thereon and providing a space in said container when the cover is removed therefrom for the reception of fuel and serving to absorb condensate gravitating downward from said first cup-shaped cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fischl June 15, 

